Little jack horner sat in a corner eating his
'Little Jack Horner' : NPR
Reason Behind the Rhyme: 'Little Jack Horner' Host Debbie Elliott and Chris Roberts dissect the meaning of the nursery rhyme "Little Jack Horner." It's about a real estate swindle in 16th-century England. Roberts is the author of Heavy Words Lightly Thrown: The Reason Behind the Rhyme.
Heard on All Things Considered
Reason Behind the Rhyme: 'Little Jack Horner'
Host Debbie Elliott and Chris Roberts dissect the meaning of the nursery rhyme "Little Jack Horner." It's about a real estate swindle in 16th-century England. Roberts is the author of Heavy Words Lightly Thrown: The Reason Behind the Rhyme.
DEBBIE ELLIOTT, host:
This is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED from NPR News. I'm Debbie Elliott.
You think the real estate market is treacherous today, try England in the late 1530s. That's what the nursery rhyme "Little Jack Horner" is really all about.
(Soundbite of music)
ELLIOTT: Here to explain is our London librarian Chris Roberts. He's the author of "Heavy Words Lightly Thrown: The Reason Behind the Rhyme," and he's at our London bureau.
Hello again, Chris.
Mr. CHRIS ROBERTS (Author, "Heavy Words Lightly Thrown"): Hello. Hi, Debbie.
ELLIOTT: So who was Little Jack Horner?
Mr. ROBERTS: Little Jack Horner was actually Thomas Horner. The name Jack comes up in nursery rhymes a lot, usually to reflect a slightly knavish character, a bit of a ne'er-do-well. So I suspect that's why they changed his name to Jack from Thomas.
(Reading) `Little Jack Horner sat in a corner eating his Christmas pie. He stuck in a thumb and pulled out a plum and said, "What a good boy am I."'
Where to begin with this? This is talking about the dissolution of the monasteries, Henry VIII taking property from the Catholic Church.
Jack, as we know, is actually called Thomas Horner. Now he was a steward to the Abbot of Glastonbury during the reign of Henry VIII. This is how the story goes: He was entrusted to take some title deeds of properties to Henry VIII as a bribe so the abbot could keep the main monastery, but was prepared to give away some of the lesser properties.
Now the title deeds were held and sealed in a pie, and Jack's off to London. But instead of delivering the bribe to Henry VIII, he helps himself to the pie, puts his hand in, pulls out a plum piece of real estate--in this case, a place called Mells Manor--and thinks he's very clever for doing this. That's one version of it, that Jack is a thief and he's stealing the bribe that's intended for the king. And he...
ELLIOTT: So was this common? Is there historical evidence to support the theory that bribes were often delivered in pies?
Mr. ROBERTS: It comes up bewilderingly often in nursery rhyme.
And it's--I think the pie is used as a metaphor. I think it's not necessarily what we would think of as a pie. It's just referring to a means of concealing a document, concealing anything. It could be jewels in some cases. Now the Horner family, who incidentally lived in Mells Manor until the 20th century, are quite outraged at this slander of their ancestor and understandably so.
And there are actually two rhymes that mention Mr. Horner. The first one that mentions him is: `Hopton(ph), Horner, Smith and Finn, when the abbots went out, they came in.' And a much more likely reading of what happened is that Thomas Horner, along with the other people mentioned in the previous rhyme--Hopton and Smith and Finn--were up-and-coming gentry. They were Protestant, they were local merchants doing quite well for themselves in the area around Glastonbury, and that they bought the property. You could see it as an early example of gentrification.
They bought the property at the time admittedly at a knockdown rate, and admittedly the land had been stolen from the Catholic Church by Henry VIII. This seems to be what happened after the dissolution of the monasteries. The king didn't keep all the land for himself; he distributed it amongst his supporters so he then could rely on their loyalty should anything occur in the future, should there be a rebellion in the future. I suspect, though I can't prove this, that the popular `Little Jack Horner sat in a corner, eating his Christmas pie' version is actually the Catholic take on proceedings there.
ELLIOTT: Chris Roberts is the author of "Heavy Words Lightly Thrown: The Reason Behind the Rhyme," and he's a librarian at Lambeth College in South London.
Thank you, Chris.
Mr. ROBERTS: Thank you, Debbie.
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Little Jack Horner sat in a corner, eating a Christmas pie.
Little Jack Horner sat in a corner, eating a Christmas pie.
Children's book illustrations
Nursery rhymes -- Little
Item timeline of events
- 1890: Issued (Approximate)
- 2020: Digitized
- 2023: Found by you!
- 2024
MLA Format
The Miriam and Ira D.
Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Picture Collection, The New York Public Library. "Little Jack Horner sat in a corner, eating a Christmas pie." The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1890 - 1899. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/6957122b-2745-5989-e040-e00a18065eb3
Chicago/Turabian Format
The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Picture Collection, The New York Public Library. "Little Jack Horner sat in a corner, eating a Christmas pie." New York Public Library Digital Collections. Accessed February 2, 2023. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/6957122b-2745-5989-e040-e00a18065eb3
APA Format
The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Picture Collection, The New York Public Library. (1890 - 1899). Little Jack Horner sat in a corner, eating a Christmas pie.
Retrieved from https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/6957122b-2745-5989-e040-e00a18065eb3
Wikipedia Citation
<ref name=NYPL>{{cite web | url=https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/6957122b-2745-5989-e040-e00a18065eb3 | title= (still image) Little Jack Horner sat in a corner, eating a Christmas pie., (1890 - 1899) |author=Digital Collections, The New York Public Library |accessdate=February 2, 2023 |publisher=The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox, and Tilden Foundations}}</ref>
What does Mary grow Mary Quite the opposite? – Celebrity.fm
Mary, Mary is quite the opposite. How is your garden growing? silver bells and shells . And pretty maids all in a row. The tragic Mary, Queen of Scots is usually considered the heroine of the rhyme "Mary, Mary reversed".
So what is the meaning of Humpty Dumpty?
The riddle probably used to mislead the fact that "Humpty Dumpty" was also an eighteenth century redundant slang.
nine0003 for a short and clumsy person . The riddle may depend on the assumption that a clumsy person falling off a wall cannot be irreparably damaged, while an egg can.
With that in mind, where did Peter place his wife?
Peter, Peter, pumpkin-eater, Had a wife and couldn't keep her; He put her in pumpkin shell , and there he held her very well.
Except that Jack got burned when he jumped over the candlestick? nine0007
Jack jumps over the candlestick. Jack jumps high, Jack jumps low, Jack jumped over and burned his finger .
What does Maria grow in her garden?
With silver bells and Shells And so my garden grows.
Second, was Humpty Dumpty human?
Yes, Humpty was a human . It was drawn like an egg, as a symbol of our fragility. Whether we have fallen or failed, we must tear down our walls, overcome them, or get out of them before we become incorrigible. Humpty, as a man, could handle one crack, not several.
nine0007
Contents
Why is Humpty Dumpty an egg?
This is false . Humpty Dumpty was the name of the cannon used by the English Royalists during the English Civil War of 1642–1649. During the war, the Royalists placed several cannons on the walls surrounding the city of Colchester. … Thanks to the popularity of the book and its adaptation to pop culture, we now know Humpty Dumpty as an egg.
Humpty Dumpty alive?
Shock G, producer and frontman of the hip-hop group Digital Underground 19The '90s man widely known for his "Humpty Hump" alter ego has died, according to a statement from his family. The artist, whose real name was Gregory Jacobs, was 57 years old; cause of death not confirmed .
Why is the ring around Rosie bad?
Rhyme cruel fatalism: roses euphemism for death rash Alleged preventive measure; a-tishoos refer to the symptoms of sneezing, and the consequences of every fall are, in general, death.
What couldn't Jack Sprat's wife eat?
Jack Sprat couldn't eat fat. His wife could eat without lean . But together they both licked the dish.
Why did Polly put the kettle on?
Polly put the kettle on was published in 1797. When the girls wanted to play without their brothers, they pretended to have a tea party. "Polly put the kettle on" and the daughter named Polly put the toy kettle on! As soon as the brothers left, Sookie (or Susan) filmed it again! nine0007
Why did Jack have to jump over the candlestick?
The practice of jumping over the candlestick was both a sport and a form of divination. The belief was that luck should have been ahead if you jumped over the flame and did not extinguish it .
What does "Hickory Dickory Dock" mean?
Other nineteenth-century written descriptions of the rhyme suggest that children used "Hickory, Dickory, Dock" as a way to decide which of them would start the game: was a way to choose who would go first .
Why did old Mother Hubbard go into the closet?
Old Mother Hubbard went to the closet, To bring her poor dog the bone . But when she got there, the closet was empty... To bring her poor dog a bone.
What did Jack Horner eat in the corner?
(Reading) Little Jack Horner was sitting in the corner eating his Christmas cake . He stuck his thumb in, pulled out a plum, and said, "What a good boy I am"... Now the title deeds were sealed in a pie and Jack went to London. nine0007
What is Alice learning from Humpty Dumpty?
However Humpty Dumpty sticks to language understanding this changes Alice's understanding of how language works. Alice believes that proper names do not have a deep meaning, while names for universal concepts such as "fame" or "impenetrability" have fixed meanings that are understood by all people.
How did Humpty turn into a golden egg?
But it's too late.
As the Great Terror descends on the city, Humpty helps bring him to the bridge, where he sacrifices himself so Puss can give his mother a golden goose. As the mother is about to leave, Puss sees where Humpty landed in the canyon where he sacrificed himself, a golden egg. nine0003 surrounded by eggshells.
What is the meaning of the word Humpty?
(ˈHʌmptɪ) British. low padded seat ; pouf.
What does Baa Baa Black Sheep mean?
Baa Baa Black Sheep is about the medieval wool tax , introduced in the 13th century by King Edward I. Under the new rules, a third of the value of a bag of wool went to him, another to the church, and the last to the farmers.
Was Humpty the golden egg? nine0042
After a fatal blow, the Cat discovers that Humpty was a large golden egg under the shell . The Great Terror is reunited with her goose and she takes the remains of Humpty's golden egg to the giant's castle.
When did Humpty Dumpty die?
Gregory Jacobs, the charismatic, affable rapper-producer of Digital Underground, who has performed with Shock G and Humpty Hump, has been found. dead Thursday, April 22, in a hotel room in Tampa, Florida. Jacobs' father confirmed the musician's death to TMZ. nine0007
How tall is Humpty Dumpty in feet?
Humpty Dumpty Spruce will grow to be about 3 feet tall when mature, with a span of 3 feet. It tends to fill straight to the ground and therefore does not necessarily require front shaped plants.
Ring around Rosie about the Black Death?
Ring of roses or Ring around Rosie, maybe Great Plague of London of 1665 : "rosie" - a fetid rash that appears on the skin of patients with bubonic plague, the stench of which then had to be hidden with a "pocket full of bouquets" . nine0007
What caused the Black Death?
Bubonic plague is a type of infection caused by Yersinia pestis (Y.
pestis) bacterium which is spread primarily by fleas on rodents and other animals. People bitten by fleas can get plague. This is an example of a disease that can be transmitted between animals and humans (zoonosis).
What is the oldest nursery rhyme?
1. Ding Dong Bell . Ding Dong Bell is the oldest recorded nursery rhyme in English. In the earliest version of this rhyme, recorded in 1580 by John Lange, organist of Winchester Cathedral, the unfortunate cat does not come out of the well, and the bells are the death knell. nine0007
Last updated: 4 days ago - Authors: 13 - Authors: 10 - Links: 46 interviews and posts; 12 Video.
Find out all about your loved one. celebrities in Celebrity Interviews and don't forget to share this post!
New illustrations by Chris Dunn - PAILISH — LiveJournal
Six years ago I wrote a short post about the British illustrator Chris Dunn (here).
Since then, a lot of water has flowed under the bridge, and Dunn has illustrated several more books. His illustrations are amazing, so I can't help but write another post. nine0208 At the end of November at the Birmingham National Exhibition Center (NEC) at the Art and Antiques for Everyone exhibition, the presentation of the collector's edition of Time for Rhyme, a book of nursery rhymes, illustrated by Chris Dunn, will take place.
Several rhymes (or, as they are called in Russian "amusements") and illustrations for them from this book. Translations of poems are taken from various sources.
Little Miss Muffet
Little Miss Muffet
Sat on a tuffet,
Eating her curds and whey;
Along came a spider[2],
Who sat down beside her
And frightened Miss Muffet away
Muffet Girl,
Sitting down for a minute,
Ready to eat cottage cheese.
Then a spider came,
And sat down next to her -
And she ran away quickly.
Little Jack Horner
Little Jack Horner
Sat in the corner,
Eating his Christmas pie;
He put in his thumb,
And pulled out a plum,
And said, "What a good boy am I!
Little Jack Horner dock
Hickory Dickory dock,
The mouse ran up the clock,
The clock struck one
The mouse ran down,
Hickory Dickory dock. - boom - boom!
Mouse run!
Hickory, Dickory, Dock
The Owl and the Pussy Cat
The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea
In a beautiful pea green boat,
They took honey some, and plenty of money,
Wrapped up in a five pound note.
The Owl looked up to the stars above,
And sang to a small guitar,
'O lovely Pussy! O Pussy my love,
What a beautiful Pussy you are,
You are,
You are!
What a beautiful pussy you are!' nine0007
A cat and an owl,
A young widow,
Went across the sea in a boat,
Taking honey on the road
And some money
(To do shopping overseas).
The owl, looking at the moon,
At the wave,
Sang to the sound of a guitar:
"Oh, my dear Cat, you are good
And comely.
Let's get engaged - you won't find it anywhere , such,
Such a delightful couple"
translated by S. Marshak
The Grand Old Duke of York
Oh, the grand old Duke of York,
He had ten thousand men;
He marched them up to the top of the hill,
And he marched them down again.
When they were up, they were up,
And when they were down, they were down,
And when they were only halfway up,
They were neither up nor down
O wise earl of York
And a thousand soldiers
They marched up the mountain
And walked back from the mountain.
And when they got up
And when they were going back
They were only halfway
And they were not there.
Hey Diddle Diddle
Hey Diddle, Diddle!
The cat and the fiddle,
The cow jumped over the moon;
The little dog laughed
To see such fun,
And the dish ran away with the spoon.
